Traffic signal



Sept. 17, 1929. H; F. BEIDLER TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Dec. 19, 1928 INVE NTOR H; F. BEIDLER ATTORNEYS Patented S ept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES HAROLD r. BEIDLER, 0F SIER AMADRE, CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC SIGNAL Application filed December 19, 1928. Serial No. 327,077.

My invention relates to a signaling device for motor vehicles to indicate to observers when the vehicle is about to turn to the right or to the left or come to a stop.

It is an object of this invention to provide a signaling device embodying a manually operated swinging semaphore arm provided with a series of finger-like blades arranged in parallel relation and adapted when in inoperative position to be folded up in a compact space.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter shown and described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the interior of an automobile showing the manually operated means of the signal device Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation with parts removed, showing the signaling elements disposed in non-signaling position;

Fig. 3 is a similar figure to Fig. 2, showing the device in signaling a turn to the right;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the device shown in Fig. 3. 5

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a front door of an automobile adjacent to the seat of the driver, on the inner side of which there is a bracket 2 providing a bearing for a rock arm 3 operated by means of a lever arm 4 which carries a suitable spring controlled catch 5 adapted to engage notches 6 in a segment 7 carried by a bracket 8 fastened to the door 1.

The opposite end of the rock shaft 3 is provided with a crank 9 operating a link 10 pivoted thereto. This link 10 extends through an aperture 11 of the door 1 and has its outer end pivoted to a semaphore arm 12 whose lower end is pivoted to a bracket 13 fastened to the outside of the door 1. The semaphore arm 12 carries a plurality of semaphore blades which in the present instance are shown as four in number 14, 15, 16 and 17, al-

thoughthe number may be increased or decreased as desired. The blades 14, 15, 16 and 17 are pivoted at their lower ends to the semaphore arm 12 by means of pivotpins 1 1,

15, 16 and 17 respectively. These pivot,

I The lowermost blade 17 is provided at its lower end with a'cam 23 adapted to engage a cam face 24 on bracket 13 for a purpose presently to be described. The blade 17 also car ries at its outer end a plate 25 extending at right angles therefrom for engaging and moving the blades '14, 15 and 16 into inoperative position. 1

Operation-Assuming that the signal is in the inoperative position shown in F igure2, and it is desired to indicate a turn to the right so that the device will be in the position shown in Fig. 3, thelever 311114 is moved to a I position so'that the catch 5 will engage a notch 6 corresponding with'such a position and the rock shaft 3 is turned to move the link 10outwaridly, thereby movingt-he semaphore arm 12 from the vertical position to" an inclined position shown in Fig. 3. The blades I 14, 15, 16 and 17will swing downwardly on i the pivot pins but will be limited in their movement by the stop pins 22 'engagingthe shoulders 21 and occupy parallel positions as; .shownin Fig. 3. If it is desired to indicate a turn to the left, the rock shaftj3 willbe turned still further in the same direction to the next notch 6 on the segment 7 when the blades 14;, "15, v16 ,and'17 willoccupy a hori- -zontal position indicating a turn to the left.

Further rotation of the rock shaft 3 in the same direction to the next notch 6 on segment 7 will move the blades 1&, 15, 16 and 17 in the direction downwardly from the horizontal position, indicating a slowing up or a stop.

When it is desired to move the device into non-signaling position, the rock shaft is turned in the opposite direction until the semaphore arm occupies a vertical position. When this occurs the cam 23 on the lowermost blade 17 will engage the cam face 24 on the bracket 13 and will be turned upwardly in a vertical position as shown in Fig. 2. As said blade 17 moves in this position the plate 25 carried by the outer end of the blade 17 will successively engage the blades 16, 15 and 14 in the order stated and move them also into vertical position, which will be maintained as long as the semaphore arm 12 is in vertical position. T he shoulders 20 on the sema phore blade will now engage the stop pins 21 which will prevent the said blades from moving further towards the door 1.

Various chan esmay be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention as claimed without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A signal device for motor vehicles comprising a bracket adapted to be fastened to the outside of a door of a motor vehicle and provided with a cam face, a semaphore arm having its lower end pivoted to said bracket and provided with stop pins, manual means for oscillating said arm, a plurality of semaphore blades pivoted in parallel relation but in difi'eren-t vertical planes to said arm, said blades being provided at their lower ends with a recess coacting with said stop pins to limit the pivotal movement of said blades in relation to said arm, the lowermost of said blades being provided with a cam coacting with the cam face on said bracket and turning said lowermost blade into a vertical position when said arm is in vertical position,and meanson said lowermost blade for successively engaging the other blades and moving them into inoperative position.

2. A signal device for motor vehicles, comprising a semaphore arm pivoted at itslower end, manual means for oscillating said arm, a plurality of blades pivoted in parallel relation but in different vertical planes to said arm, means on said arm for limiting the turning movement of said blades in either direction in relation to said arm, means on said lowermost blade to moveit in vertical position when said arm is in vertical position, and means on said lowermost blade for successive- "ly engaging and moving the other blades into 

